Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-07
THE BLACK ROSE.

If any one had said Il year ago that |
| would ever have run through the driving
SNOW and storm after "A black rose, | Ger
tainly would have declared that person TO
Toe hereft of ordinary intelligence; but
now l could very appropriately ask myself
II | were in full possession of my mental
| powers, for only IA few days since | went
all over the city anNiuusly endeayoring to
purchase one, regardless Of cost-beCausc
| Eyeline had expressed desire To have
one. She deprived me of my Judgment.
with her bewitching smile, her meaning
| glance, her great deep eyes the graceful
paiSc IF her head, and her beautiful.
| majest shoulders. She cntrapped me in
| 4 net " oven from a Thousand fascinating,
insnarilS threads. in which she drew me
whittier she would, and on that occasion
| she drew me after the black rose.
| | do not know exactly how il came
about. have always been such quiet
thoughtful man, and falling in love was
TIC last thing | would have thought of
DOM; but at the fateful bail, exactly one
year aro, when / saw ner in that yellow
satin bodice, with her golden hair. the
dark prettily arched eyebrows, and her
L
WIS not like my former self She WAS
pretty, but not positively beautiful; one
could also not read any great depth Of
feeling or character in her deep gray eyes;
! She was bright and versatile but had no
especial talent. and her conversational
powers were only ordinary. l knew that
her family were in very moderate circum-
s,anccs, and Therefore believed that she
wAIl lI nlia,sT
man of fortune. | knew that she knew |
was in good circumstances, and felt that
if | woH her my fortune would have
much To do with it; and Yet | followed
her lile-yeS. like a faithful little dog.
and could no; tear myself from the magic
Chains she threw around me. She seemed
t. onjoy y every possible luxury; how she
managed 10 do -. | could never under
stand, for her extravaganza would almost
bankrupt a wealthy man. She did not
trouble herself about household affairs;
and | strongly suspected that her mother
had 10 exert every energy To keep up the
appearance of ease and comfort before the
outside world, and that she worked Sc
cTct!y To contriye that her daughter might
dress elegantly and becomingly.
do not know whether she really loved
me or not; sometimes | hoped so from her
actions, but was never sure of il. / was,
therefore, continually troubled with the
uncertainty, so that if Il siugle day passed
without my seeing her and exchanging Il
few words with her was absolutely mis-
cradle. This state of affairs lasted for Il
whole year. l could not make up my
mind To give her up, and was, also, not
willing exactly to take any decided step
which would bind me for life to The en-
chantrcss. She attended bail after ball,
w,,t to ali fashionable places of amuse-
mcnt. and each time she succeeded in
making her ioiee more recherche than any
one else. Fer ti.eeominG bah she farc;ed |
that she wanted black rose 10 wear in |
her golden hair; that would be novel, |
would attract attention, admiration and |
wonder, and would excite tie envy of |
some. JsuEs i.tit '""
! But were there any black roses in exist |
enceg l asked myself when thought of |
gratifying her wish. had read of such |
a rare flower being on exhibition at flower |
but had never seen one ana |
all of my acquaintance whom | asked |
about it said they did not think they |
could be gotten. One of them said thsS 1
n Lad seen rose So darllly red that It /
was almost black; but that was several |
wears ago. At all events. it seemed that
they were very rare; and how was / to /
obtain one in winter timc9 ! went - ut
least ten flower stores. six gurIcnerS and |
everywhere that thought had ghost
Of chance 10 get it, but in vain.
Marie. the daughter of the flower dealer
at Kings place, my pretty little friend
whom had known from her childhood,
said she had, once, two roses almost
black. which she had sold TO Graf Egous-
field. and which had caused n sensation Gt
the court ball. and was aftCrward mcn-
toned in the report Of the ball on account
of their great rarity and beauty.
Marie was charming girl; young,
blooming, pretty, modest and loved by
everybody. and was said 10 he rich, for
her father, whose only child she was, had
the most extensive and prosperous bust
ness of the kind. supported 10y the most
Ii 5tinguishe,l and wealthy class. Marie
re .lrled me with an interest which she
tired i'll vain to conceal. Her face would
turn pale and then would cover with |
bushes when l would enter the store sud-
denly: and sometimes when She spoke TO
me her voice would trcmble. And could
see her pretty, delicate little hand Quiycr
when she delivered the flowers to me, !
which | oftentimes purchased more tc get
a chance to feast my eyes on her pretty
face and TO engage her in 4 few words Of
than because l really wanted
the flowers
Evclinc seemed TO enjoy being with me.
She was quick and brilliant in rSpartec.
She would sometimes press my hand |
warmly when she would thank me for
some gift that | brought her, and my |
hopes would climb 10 fever heat i'll con
sequence. But then she seemed So cold |
and Indifferent toward me, when she |
knew | loved her. | found myself Won
.icrin- how Marie would act if | were TO
take her hand and tell her loved her.
Her little trembling, soft white hand
would lay in mine and her face Bu;
what was thinking about? At Eastgate
here WIS another gardener. II was ai-
ready l. O'Clock. aud at u Eveline must
hayc the black rose.
called for Il cab, but there were none
10 lie had, and it was showing. raining
and freezing. / must walk. l could rot
send aly one, for must get them IN per-
son. In vain, in vain. After my long
walk | WAS doomed to disappointment
again. The flower dea!cr did not bayo
them. It was alread;2 O'Clock. What
could possibly do? How l would like 10
crafty her wish and see her smile OF
pleasure! Could they he made' No; i'm
possible. But stop. Could the natural
roses not be colorcd? She would only
want them for one evening. So. with
br tightening hopes l FASTENED again 10
Kings place.
Marie. a couple of dark red roses,
please said, entering the store
They are for Fraulein Gunthert," she
faltered and in her eyes noticed a painei /
and sorrowful expression that went
strangely 10 my heart.
..Yes. for the Kasino ball tonight" /
replied. hastily. The darkest you have,
please
took the flowers, but somehow the |
pale, pretty face and the sad expression |
affected me deeply. l motioned To a cab |
snd drove home. why am l chem |
ST. said to myself, triumphantly, III ! |
can't overcome such difficulty rs thisF' |
I lncEel myself i'm my little laboratory, {